Inside Zenkichi's home, a calm, almost idle atmosphere lingered as he sat trimming his nails with a pair of small finger scissors. Across from him, Nick Fury, the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., wore a grim expression.
"We've dismantled the Life Foundation," Fury began, his tone heavy. "But I believe the experimental materials they gathered—including the symbiotes—should be turned over to us. After all, the Life Foundation was based on Earth, and we have jurisdiction. It's our responsibility to secure and study the remnants of their work."
He attempted to use reason and diplomacy, but Zenkichi didn't flinch. He rejected the request without hesitation.
"That sort of thing is useless in your hands," Zenkichi said coldly. "Worse, it could doom the Earth. It's safer with me."
Fury scowled. "You underestimate our capability. Our scientific resources far surpass what the Life Foundation had. They got lucky finding a compatible host. But S.H.I.E.L.D. has the tools and intellect to unlock the symbiote's secrets."
Zenkichi smirked, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Your arrogance is impressive, I'll give you that. But let's not pretend S.H.I.E.L.D. is clean. You're sitting under a roof rotted from the inside."
Fury narrowed his eye. "What are you getting at?"
Zenkichi's voice was calm, razor-sharp. "Pierce—your immediate superior—is Hydra. He was the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. at one point, wasn't he? Over the years, Hydra has embedded itself so deeply that even you have no idea how many of them are within your ranks."
Fury's expression darkened. "That's a serious accusation."
"Check it out yourself," Zenkichi replied. "Start with Pierce. You'll find the rot runs deeper than you think. S.H.I.E.L.D. is compromised. And that's why it shouldn't be anywhere near something as dangerous as a symbiote."
Fury fell silent for a moment, clearly processing the weight of the allegation. Then, in a quieter voice, he said, "I'll look into it. In the meantime… I have another matter I need your help with."
Zenkichi leaned back slightly. "Let's hear it, though I already know I'll probably say yes."
Fury's tone softened. "You know about Captain America—Steve Rogers. During his last mission against Hydra, his plane went down. We just found the wreck buried beneath the Antarctic ice."
Zenkichi's eyes narrowed slightly with interest.
"He's still alive, technically," Fury continued. "The low temperatures preserved him. He's been in stasis all these years. We want to safely extract him, and possibly bring him back. That's where you come in."
Zenkichi raised a brow. "I've never demonstrated any sort of ability related to revival."
"You've demonstrated enough power for me to believe you might be able to," Fury said simply.
Zenkichi paused, then said thoughtfully, "I can't guarantee anything, but I'll try."
Fury gave a small nod. "That's all I ask. We'll deploy a full team—science and mystical support combined. We'll pull all our resources into this."
As Fury returned to S.H.I.E.L.D., he began his investigation into Alexander Pierce, doing so in complete secrecy. Not even Coulson—his most trusted agent—was informed. Fury was known as the King of Spies for a reason. Trust wasn't something he gave out easily.
Meanwhile, Zenkichi had already traveled to the Antarctic and began excavating the buried plane. With calculated precision, he located the sleeping figure of Steve Rogers encased in ice.
Across the globe, the fallout from Zenkichi's revelations began to shake S.H.I.E.L.D. to its core. Members of Hydra, sensing exposure, scattered like rats from a sinking ship. Their organization had become so fragmented that even their leaders didn't know how many agents they truly had in place.
The United Nations Security Council, upon learning that Hydra still operated in secret, was shaken. Hydra—led by Red Skull—had nearly brought the world to its knees once before during World War II. Now, it appeared they had survived in the shadows all this time.
Fury worked quickly. Within days, he uncovered hard evidence implicating Pierce and several high-ranking S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives. The Council responded immediately, throwing their full support behind Fury. Elite agents were deployed. Arrests were made. A global manhunt for Hydra agents commenced.
Zenkichi, meanwhile, stood before the frozen body of Captain America, channeling the power he had inherited from the Six Paths. As the Jinchūriki of the Ten-Tails and wielder of Six Paths Yang Power, he possessed the ability to restore life to all things.
With focused effort, Zenkichi infused Captain America's body with his power. A radiant pulse of life energy spread through Steve's frozen form, and slowly, the man once thought lost to history stirred.
His eyes fluttered open.
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